Street Card Buddyfight
by theoneandonlyarrow
Summary: Buddyfight from an underground street fighter's perspective! Shin Matsuki is an underground street fighter who took up Buddyfight and has been searching for his Buddy for a long time! He's about to go on a whirlwind of adventure as he learns and grows with his newfound Buddy!
1. Chapter One: Buddy Rare!

Street Card Buddyfight

Chapter One: Buddy Rare!

The sounds of laughter filled the air as a dark-haired teen walked up to the counter. HIz gaze darted about at the boxes kept on the shelves behind the counter, then a sigh escaped his lips and he pointed to a box. "Give me 5 packs of the new set, okay?" The store manager turned to fetch the packs, and the boy turned to watch the others in the back playing everybody's favorite card game: Buddyfight. _Don't they realize how serious this game is?_

The manager caught his attention again, stating the price of his packs. Paying, the boy slinked out, opening the packs on the sidewalk. Looking at the first pack, he groaned; all Dragon World cards. Dragon World was getting pretty popular, so he stowed those cards away; maybe he could get something for them later. Sighing, he shook his head and pressed on. He'd been buying cards with every cent he had because he was constantly looking for his Buddy Rare. But it was probably just a dream. He droned through the next two packs like a zombie, barely checking the rarities before moving on.

The fourth pack caused him to stop halfway, though. Dragon Knight, Kondou was a super rare card! That could make him some money for more packs! His interest had risen slightly, and he thumbed through the rest of the pack, then put the cards away and opened his final pack. As he took the cards, one by one, the last one gave off a bright light before he could read it. A Buddy Rare card?! Before his eyes, the card came to life, revealing a giant green dragon wearing, of all things, a wizard hat. He didn't yet recognize the monster, but the crowded streets suddenly seemed empty. "Who are you?"

"I am the great and powerful dragowizard, Kaylurian the Skywind!" the dragon roared. The boy raised an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed. The dragon turned his head to look down at the boy, incredulous at the boy's clear lack of understanding.

"Translation?" was the boy's only response, to which the dragon roared, insulted. Even as the boy spoke, however, another boy was approaching the pair from the skies, flying alongside another large dragon, this one easily recognized: Jackknife Dragon.

Landing behind the unimpressed Buddyfighter, the blue-haired boy approached. "Shin Matsuki?" The dark-haired boy, Shin, whirled around in surprise. "I'm Tasuku Ryuenji, from the Buddy Police. You've entered into a Buddy Contract with Dragowizard, Tempest Wing. I'm here to present you with your Core Deck Case."

Shin blinked at the boy, dumbfounded. "Tasuku Ryuenji… The boy wonder Buddy Cop? So that must be Jackknife Dragon…" He smirked slightly, no longer off-balance. "Quite a large knife you've got there. Compensating for something, Jackknife Dragon?"

Jackknife Dragon snorted, infuriated, but Tasuku ignored it and pressed on. "Jack and I would like to congratulate you for becoming an official Buddyfighter!" Holding out the Core Deck Case, Tasuku smiled pleasantly.

"Jack" snorted again and muttered, "Yeah, I'd like to congratulate him on something else, too…"

"Jack! Be nice, okay?" Tasuku scolded. Turning his attention back to Shin, who accepted the case held out to him, Tasuku's smile returned. Shin turned the deck box over in his hands, examining the details in blue, accented by a red gem in the center… "I'm sorry I can't stay any longer, but good luck to you in your future Buddyfights!"

Shin turned to his newfound Buddy Monster. "Tempest Wing, eh? Alright, so you're from Magic World… I've never hated Magic World… But I don't have a deck like that right now. Also, you might want to shrink down, you've already scared everyone off."

Tempest thought about this for a moment as Shin walked away from him, and then shrunk down to his miniature form as he realized what had happened. "Hey! Wait for me!" Shin had no idea how to build a Magic World deck just yet, so he slid his deck into his new Core Deck Case and started to head home.

On the way home, Shin cut through an alleyway. Normally a bad idea for most people, Shin loved alleys. They were usually empty, but the occasional thug was easy enough to handle if it meant some privacy. The sounds of a struggle floated to him, and he looked up. A young kid, about 13, was being kicked and punched by another guy, Shin's own age. Shin was a lot of things, but he wasn't a bully, nor was he about to let this continue. He rushed in towards the older boy, punching him in the face and pulling the younger boy away from him. "Get out of here, kid."

The older boy didn't take kindly to the interruption, the corners of his mouth turning downwards in anger. "Get your nose out of this, buddy!" The younger boy stood still, trembling. "Come back here, Toichi, you know you'll get it worse if you don't!"

"Tempest, if you wanna be a real buddy, get that kid to safety. I'll handle this guy." Tempest Wing started dragging the kid away, and the punches began to fly. Before long, Shin was standing over the other boy, his fist raised for another punch in case his opponent tried to stand.

Toichi looked to Tempest Wing. "Koetsu's gonna be mad… I'm never going to hear the end of this…" Tempest Wing sighed, looking towards Shin in an attempt to figure out how the situation would be resolved. Shin, however, had turned to walk away.

Koetsu, defeated, finally stood up again, an idea sparking. "How about we have a man's fight instead? Or are you too chicken?" Shin turned his head and stopped, apparently intrigued by the idea. Clearly, the bully was looking for a way to save face, but Shin didn't mind. "You win, the kid goes free, never bothered again. I win, he's mine."

Shin raised an eyebrow at Koetsu, and spoke quietly. "I'm listening. What kind of fight did you have in mind?"

Koetsu held up his Core Deck Case. "A Buddyfight. What else?" Shin scoffed and shook his head, walking away again. "What?! What's the matter, you too good to Buddyfight me?!"

Shin spun around, now looking angry at the other boy. "You don't get it? Well allow me to enlighten you. I don't Buddyfight without a reason. The stakes aren't high enough. You know what they say: go big, or go home."

Koetsu was shocked, but he instantly knew what to do, and pointed to Tempest Wing. "The kid… AND your buddy." A smirk lit up Shin's face as he turned to face the obnoxious boy.

"And if I win…?" Koetsu suddenly looked lost, as if he hadn't thought that far ahead. He pulled out his pockets, looking for an ante, until Shin stopped him. "Don't bother, I know what I want. If you lose, I want your Core Deck Case."

Koetsu's eyes widened, stunned by the declaration. Without it, he couldn't Buddyfight. But if he won, he got a powerful new card, and what he'd been wanting anyways: the chance to pick on Toichi some more. This fight was the only way he could… "Fine! But I won't lose. A flash of claws before an endless darkness! Furious Clash! Lumenize!" His Core Deck Case flashed and transformed into a shoulder holster for his deck, as his Buddy Monster, Ironblood Dragon, Gavaldine, appeared beside him.

Shin held up a card as it turned into a monster. "For this fight, Galiazond will be my buddy! Furious force from ages long past, destroy the meager peasant before you! Ancient Storm, Lumenize!" Shin's Core Deck Case lit up, turning into a floating book. Shin scoffed again, agitated. "A book? That's my fancy Core Gadget?"

"This is your first time Lumenizing?! Hahahaha! This'll be too easy! I'll start! Charge and draw!" Koetsu grabbed one of the luminescent cards before him and tossed it towards the gauge area, then drew a new card from his Core Gadget. "I call to the right area, Nightflight Dragon, Rahal! Rahal, attack the fighter!"

Shin didn't flinch at all as Rahal lunged at him and bit. His life indicator, floating above his head, set itself accordingly, down to 8 life points. A voice boomed from Koetsu's Core Gadget. "End of move." Then, the same voice sounded from Shin's Core Gadget, saying, "Your move."

"Draw!" Shin drew a new card from the book floating beside him. It was a marvel really, a blue book with a red gem on the cover, holding a glowing card waiting for him… He'd never used more than a generic Core Gadget before, but this one was his. A little lame, perhaps, but it was his nonetheless. "Charge and Draw!" Throwing a card to the gauge, he drew a new card.

"Why aren't you out there fighting with him? He _is_ your buddy, right?" Toichi asked Tempest Wing, puzzled by the situation.

"We only became buddies today, he doesn't have a Magic World deck, according to him. This will do fine for now, I suppose…" came Tempest Wing's reply.

"Galiazond will lend me some additional help, with Buddy Help! Cast!" Spending all 3 of his gauge, Shin drew 2 new cards. "Next up, Dragon Emperor Legend!" A new card appeared in his gauge, the floating 8 above him broke to reveal a 9, then he drew a new card. "That's a start… Let's see here… Destruction Dragon Emperor, Gatastor to the Center area!"

Gatastor took center stage, the giant size 3 monster taking up the entire alleyway. Any hope Koetsu had had of winning the fight was quickly fading. "What the hell?!" Koetsu didn't know how to handle a move like this, and that was painfully obvious.

"Next up, Flame Dragon Emperor, Magmanova's special ability! By discarding him, I deal a damage to you!" Koetsu's life counter went down to 9 as he cried out in pain. "And that's not all. I like it so much, let's do it again. Twice." Discarding two more copies of Magmanova, Shin grinned at Koetsu's near-scream of pain as his life was reduced to 7. "And now for the Gatastor in my hand! Pay one gauge and discard him… I can destroy one of your monsters! Rahal!" The unfortunate monster shattered into light, and vanished from the field. "Next, it's Rock Dragon Emperor, Vragos, giving me 2 life by being discarded!" Now at 11 life, Shin pointed at Koetsu. "Gatastor, attack the fighter!" Gatastor slashed in at Koetsu with his giant claws, but was blasted back by a shining barrier.

"CAST! Battle Aura Circle!"

Shin's Core Gadget spoke. "End of move." This was immediately followed by Koetsu's Core Gadget. "Your move."

"Draw! Charge and draw!" Koetsu seemed to study his hand for a moment, having regained his composure. "I call to the right, Saberclaw Dragon, Valken! Pay 1 gauge to activate his skill, I gain a life!" Koetsu grinned widely up at Shin, showing off now. Shin shook his head and sighed. "Next, I call a second Valken to the left, and do it again!" Koetsu was now at 9 life, and seemed to be on a roll. "I pay two gauge to equip Hysteric Spear! Valken, Link attack Gatastor with me!" Valken and Koetsu leapt into action, Koetsu spinning the spear that had appeared in his hands as he moved towards Gatastor.

"Ice Dragon Emperor Glacies, Freeze Shot! By discarding Glacies and paying 1 life, I nullify the attack!" Shin calmly, almost creepily stared at Koetsu as he and Valken were temporarily frozen. "Did you think it would be that easy?"

"End of move. Your move," stated the voices of the fighters' respective Core Gadgets.

"Draw! Charge and draw! Gatastor, attack the Valken on the fighter's left area!" Gatastor leaned forward, swiping a claw through Valken, who shattered and vanished, and Shin sighed. _That was way too short… Oh well._

"End of move. Your move."

"I draw! Then charge and draw! I call Nightflight Dragon, Rahal to the Left area! Valken, you're with me! Attack Gatastor!" Shin winced slightly as Valken and Koetsu cut through Gatastor, since Gatastor's Lifelink reduced his life to 9. Koetsu slashed at Shin directly with the Hysteric Spear he held, because Hysteric Spear's Penetrate skill activated, further reducing Shin's life to 7. "Rahal! Attack the fighter!" Rahal lunged, biting Shin's arm, and Koetsu seemed satisfied with his lead.

"End of move. Your move."

Shin cracked his knuckles, then his neck. "You look so smug over there with a 4 damage lead. They teach you how to look smug like that in grade school? You haven't seen anything yet! Draw! Charge and… draw!" Shin looked at his new card with a smile. "Dragon Emperor Legend!" Yet another new card appeared in his gauge, and he gained a life and a new card. It was all he could do to keep from laughing at the stupefied look on Koetsu's face. With Shin down to 6 life, Koetsu was confident he had this game in the bag. "Divine Dragon Creation! I pay 2 life to cast!" Shin drew 2 new cards, and Koetsu laughed.

"What's wrong? Searching for something? Aww, you're just making it easier for me to kill you, aren't you?" Koetsu was positively ecstatic now. His opponent was making it too easy!

Shin ignored Koetsu and continued. "Next up, let's go! Great Talent Dragon Formation! Pay 2 life to search my deck for a size 3 Dragon Lord! Buddy Call to the Center area with 3 gauge and 4 cards from my Drop Zone! SPACE DRAGON EMPEROR, GALIAZOND! I gain 1 life from Buddy Gift!"

"Rahal's special ability activates at your Attack Phase! Move to the Center!" A look of panic spread across Koetsu's face. He had to kill this huge monster with 4 soul?

Toichi looked to Tempest Wing in confusion. "I watched what he was doing, and… the cards in Galiazond's soul… He only used 3 of them, right? Magmanova, Vragos, and… Glacies. Where did the fourthone come from?"

Tempest Wing smiled at the boy, as best as a dragon could smile, at least. "The fourth one was used as a gauge payment earlier in the game… Storm Dragon Emperor, Thundertornado, I believe. Ah, a curious mind is always ripe for learning…"

"Galiazond! Attack Rahal!" Shin pointed towards the monster, and Galiazond slashed down at Rahal, only to have his claws bounce off of Rahal.

"Cast! Battle Spirit Unite! Take my energy, raise your defense, Rahal! Counterattack!"

"Unfortunately, Rahal's power isn't high enough to take down Galiazond… Too bad. And unfortunately for you, Galiazond is so strong, he gets another attack! Galiazond, attack Rahal again!" Koetsu's face dropped in horror as Galiazond slashed in again and destroyed Rahal, since the extra defense from his spell had been but a temporary boost.

"End of move. Your move."

"I draw, then charge and draw! Valken, with me! Link attack Galiazond!" Koetsu and Valken rushed at Galiazond, who vanished, allowing Koetsu to strike at Shin with Penetrate, reducing his life to 1, before Galiazond reappeared thanks to Soulguard. Koetsu looked stunned, eyes wide with horror. "N-no way! How do you beat this thing?!"

"End of move. Your move."

Shin simply smirked. "That's the beauty of it. No one beats Galiazond. Now draw! Charge and… Draw! Gatastor's skill will let me end your link attacks! Destroy Valken!" The monster shattered and vanished and Koetsu gulped in fear. That HAD been his only hope to win next turn, link attacking with Hysteric Spear's Penetrate, but this match was quickly turning in Shin's favor. "Dragon Emperor Legend!" Another new card appeared in Shin's gauge, and his life increased to 2, then Shin drew a card. "This is the card I needed to make sure you don't hit me again! Thundertornado! I give up a gauge to use his skill! Destroy Hysteric Spear!" Koetsu's weapon shattered and vanished, and there was an audible gulp as Koetsu was left defenseless. "Galiazond, attack the fighter directly! Twice!" Galiazond slashed in with both claws until Koetsu's life counter was reduced to 3.

"End of move. Your move."

"D-d-draw! Then charge and… draw! I cast! Survival Chance! I draw two cards!" After examining his cards for a moment, Koetsu's face lit up. "That's it! Buddy Call to the Center! Ironblood Dragon, Gavaldine! I gain a life from Buddy Gift! Grassland Dragon, Grassrunner to the left! Link attack on Galiazond!" As the two monsters rushed in and attacked Galiazond, the giant dragon shattered, vanished, and reappeared, thanks to Soulguard.

"End of move. Your move."

"Two soul left. You think you're doing well? You're sorely mistaken. Draw! Then charge and draw! Fortune Dragon, Forbolka's skill! Discard him to gain 2 gauge! Buddy Help from Galiazond!" 3 gauge disappeared, granting Shin 2 cards. "Galiazond, attack Gavaldine!" The giant dragon slashed down at Gavaldine, who shattered, vanished, and reappeared.

"Soulguard prevents him from leaving the field!" Koetsu's grin was badly timed, considering what was about to happen

"I know how it works. You forget Galiazond's Double Attack! Galiazond, attack Gavaldine!" Horrified, Koetsu was forced to watch as his Galiazond slashed at Gavaldine again, and Gavaldine shattered and vanished, this time for good.

"End of move. Your move."

"Draw, then… charge and draw… I… I can't do anything…" Koetsu's face had fallen, realizing that he was about to lose.

"End of move. Your move."

"Then it's finished. Draw! Charge and draw! Galiazond… Attack the fighter!" Galiazond slashed at Koetsu directly, reducing Koetsu's life to 1. "Now finish it, Galiazond, attack the fighter once more!" Galiazond slashed in one last time, before vanishing for good.

"Game over. Winner: Shin Matsuki," came the voice of the Core Gadget. Koetsu fell to his knees, and Shin walked over to him, putting his Core Deck Case away. Taking away Koetsu's, he tossed the cards out of it, spilling them all over the ground.

"My cards! What are you-" Koetsu's protests were interrupted by Shin's voice talking over him.

"You lost, so this is mine. I'll see you later, when you learn to Buddyfight for real." Walking over to one of the loose bricks in the alley, he set the Core Deck Case down, picked up the brick, and brought it down on the case, smashing it to pieces, and left it there as he went to find Tempest Wing.

Toichi was psyched with amazement. "Wow! He's such a great fighter! I wanna be just like him some day!"

Tempest Wing was about to respond when Shin arrived, speaking up before Tempest Wing had his chance. "Then you're gonna hafta toughen up, kid. There's no reason you should let him bully you, no matter how much stronger or older he is." Looking to his new buddy, Shin grinned sheepishly. "Well, I didn't lose you in a Buddyfight, so I guess that means we're really buddies."

"You shouldn't have accepted such a wager!" Tempest Wing was clearly infuriated by the mere thought, but Shin just laughed it off, turning away to resume his walk home. Even as Tempest Wing chased him down, the day's excitement finally caught up with him. _I got my Buddy Rare card! And a Core Deck Case! There's no way I can ever lose, now!_

(Special thanks goes to Guardian Fira for helping me make this fight as realistic as possible and for inspiring the name of Koetsu's deck. Thanks, Fira!)


	2. Chapter Two: The King of Buddyfight!

Chapter Two: The King of Buddyfight!

Shin watched the other fighters at the card shop briefly before turning to the shop manager. "I need as much Magic World stuff as I can get with this." Placing all of his money on the counter, the shop manager nodded and pointed out the prices of various cards… There was no way he had enough money to build a full deck. "Perfect… At this rate, it'll take about… the rest of my life to build this deck. I guess I'll just buy packs, then… Maybe I'll get something worth playing…" As he paid for his packs and turned to leave, he heard Toichi's voice and groaned.

"Shin!" As Toichi bolted towards Shin, Shin spun around, putting his hand out to catch him. Screeching to a halt, Toichi looked up at Shin, wide-eyed. "What are we going to do today, Shin?"

"Ugh. I save you once, and you follow me around like a lost puppy for the rest of my life? Remind me not to save anyone else. I already have enough people following me around." Toichi glanced around as if looking for someone else, which caused Shin to plant his palm firmly in his forehead. "You, Toichi. You're following me around."

"Oh. So what are we going to do today?" Toichi's excitement returned. Shin sighed in dismay, but Toichi was unfazed by it. Those bright, hopeful eyes… It was almost a shame to crush the hope.

"_I'm_ going to the underground fight ring today. Gotta earn up some cash for cards if I'm going to finish this deck anytime in the next century." Shin turned to walk out, but Toichi stopped him.

"Let me come with you!" Toichi's wide-eyed, honest face was now practically begging Shin without saying a word. Shin shook his head in silent reply. "But… Why not?!"

"You can't enter the Underground unless you're a member, Toichi…" Shin started to pull away from Toichi, getting as far as the door before Toichi caught up to him and grabbed onto his arm.

"So how do I become a member?!" Toichi pleaded silently with his eyes, a look Shin couldn't ignore.

"Ugh. You need a sponsor. Someone willing to say you're good enough to get in. You fight a representative of the Underground, and if you win, you're in. If you lose, your sponsor's out. But I'm pretty sure you're not ready. Have you ever even had a single Buddyfight before?"

"No, but I watched your fight against Koetsu! Will you sponsor me?! With you by my side, I can't lose!" Toichi seemed so sure of himself, so energetic, Shin was almost willing to believe him.

"Fine. Come on… Let's just get going, then." With what Shin could only describe as a "happy squeal", Toichi followed him, and they set off towards a run-down part of the city. There, Shin entered an abandoned warehouse. Toichi followed behind, and was immediately stopped by two bulky guys who seemed to appear out of the very floor. Shin didn't stop or even turn, simply spoke as though he knew what had happened. "I'm sponsoring him." Immediately, Toichi was released and he brushed himself off and cautiously followed Shin deeper into the building.

"Shin Matsuki. What a pleasant surprise… I hear you're sponsoring someone today?" Shin turned to see Toshi Izumi, better known as the Street King, or the King of Buddyfight.

"That's right, Toshi, I am. And yes, I realize my place here is at stake." A glint of a plan shone in Toshi's eye, and he turned to face Toichi.

"Step forward and state your name." Toshi moved to sit on a makeshift throne, watching Toichi curiously. This boy didn't look like much of a fighter, and that was perhaps what was so intriguing about him.

"T-Toichi Nakanishi, sir…" Toichi was starting to seem a little nervous. It was understandable; it was his first time in a place like this. Shin had stepped away for a bit to talk to one of the other fighters.

"Hey, listen, my buddy doesn't have a deck at the moment. Could you help a guy out?" The other fighter snorted and handed Shin a random deck from a stack beside him. Handouts for situations like this weren't uncommon, but they were almost always badly done. He quickly looked through the deck for any changes he could make, but the cards were of a type he couldn't support with his current cards. He didn't have a choice. Getting a generic Core Gadget and placing the deck in it, he brought it over to Toichi. He just hoped this would work.

Toshi had noticed what Shin was doing, and stalled to give him time to finish by studying Toichi. Scrawny, but that could be worked on. The kid had to have guts to be fighting his instinct to run like he was… "Well, Toichi… If you want to join, I'll be your opponent. Do you understand what the stakes are?" Toichi nodded, looking to Shin, who had gone pale. He knew that it wouldn't be an easy fight, but against the Street King?!

Toichi noticed Shin's expression and couldn't help but worry. Shin moved up to whisper to him. "You're playing a deck based around Tarot cards. It's pretty basic, so it should be good for a beginner… I just hope you know what you're doing." Shin was already starting to calm down; a plan was forming in his head.

Toshi stood, pulling out a Core Deck Case. "This is your first fight, isn't it, Toichi?"

Toichi nodded slightly, causing Shin to groan. There went that idea. "Is that bad, Shin?" Shin was about to reply when Toshi spoke.

"For this fight, since it's your first fight, I'll teach you the rules… You don't need to worry about a buddy just yet, alright?" Toshi's grin was easy for everyone else to read, but Toichi didn't understand what it meant. With a nod, he agreed, and Toshi held up his Core Deck Case. "All of the pieces fall perfectly into place! Final Checkmate, Lumenize!" As he spoke, his Core Deck Case transformed into a golden throne beneath him, hovering slightly off the ground.

"Intertwined between all lives and connecting all futures, show me the face of my enemy! Lumenize! Strings of Destiny!" Toichi's face had hardened with determination, and Shin was actually surprised, realizing that Toichi still intended to win this.

"Now let's raise the flag! I fight with no allegiance!" Toshi's Buddy monster, King the Dominator, had come into view, holding a white flag with the game's emblem on it.

"I too fight with no allegiance!" Shin held up a similar flag, standing beside Toichi as he prepared to fight.

Toshi smirked. "I'll start this off. Charge and draw!" Tossing a card from his hand to the gauge, he drew a card from one of his armrests and looked over his cards. "I call Control Unit, Suppression Queen to the Center area! Queen, attack the fighter!" Suppression Queen moved forward across the arena to strike at Toichi with her scepter, knocking his life points down to 8.

"End of move. Your move."

Even though Shin couldn't help him fight, Toichi was determined to win this for him. "I draw! Then charge and draw!" Toshi opened his mouth to speak, but Toichi was a step ahead of him. "Actor Knights Hanged Man to the right! Actor Knights Hermit to the left! And then Actor Knights High Priestess, to the center!" The three monsters took their respective positions on the field as Toichi studied his hand. Once again, Toshi started to speak before Toichi cut him off. "Actor Knights Hanged Man, attack the Queen!" Hanged Man ran up to Suppression Queen with a few punches before Suppression Queen shattered into light and vanished. "Now, Hermit and High Priestess! Attack the fighter!" As Hermit and High Priestess ran in to deliver damage to the opponent, Shin was amazed at how quickly Toichi had picked up the rules of the game. Was there something else to this, or had Toichi already known the rules?

"End of move. Your move."

The Street King's frown showed that he was not amused. This kid wasn't supposed to know what he was doing yet! It was then that he decided not to take it easy on him, even if they were still tied. "Alright! Have it your way! Draw! Then charge and draw! Battle Unit, Knight Fighter to the left! Attack Unit, Flying Bishop to the right! Equip Burning Dagger!" Standing up, he took the Burning Dagger as it appeared in the air before him. "Bishop, help me annihilate his High Priestess!" The two swung in, the Street King stabbing High Priestess with his dagger as Bishop took his staff to her head. She shattered and vanished, and the two returned to their start positions. "Knight Fighter, attack the fighter!" Toichi winced at the temporary pain from Knight Fighter's sword swinging in, reducing his life points to 6.

"End of move. Your move."

"I draw! Then charge and… draw! Actor Knights Magician to the center! Hanged Man, attack Knight Fighter!" As the Hanged Man swung in, Knight Fighter tried to swing back. Hanged Man swung around behind the knight, punching him from behind, and Knight Fighter shattered and vanished. "Hermit, attack Flying Bishop!" Hermit rushed up to Bishop, mowing him down with a single blow as he shattered and vanished. "Magician, attack the fighter!" Magician formed a ball of glowing energy, firing it off at the Street King and reducing his live to 7.

"End of move. Your move."

"Fine then, you little runt. I draw, then charge and draw! I call another Bishop to the right! Bishop, attack Hermit!" As Bishop ran up to Hermit, swinging his staff, Hermit shattered and vanished. Then the Street King ran up to Hanged Man, slashing at him with the Burning Dagger, and Hanged Man shattered and vanished as well.

"End of move. Your move."

Toichi was confused about what had just happened, but said nothing except, "Draw! Then charge and draw! I call another Hanged Man to the right! Actor Knights Chariot to the left! Hanged Man, finish off Bishop!" Hanged Man rushed in at Bishop, swinging his fists until Bishop shattered and vanished. "Chariot! Magician! Attack the fighter!" Magician formed another ball of magical energy and fired it at the Street King as Chariot rushed in to slash at him, reducing Toshi's life points to 4.

"End of move. Your move."

"That's IT! I draw! Charge and Draw! I call my buddy to the left! Using 2 gauge and a Chess card from my drop zone… King the Dominator! Then I gain 1 life with Buddy Gift!" Toichi was taken aback.

"I-I thought we weren't using Buddy monsters!" Toichi's voice was trembling.

"YOU weren't using a Buddy monster. Now cast! Buddy Charge! I gain two gauge! Buddy Help, Cast!" Two cards appeared in his gauge, then his last 3 gauge vanished from it, and Toshi drew two new cards. "Next, I call Suppression Queen to the right!" As he did so, King looked up in horror, realizing what would happen, right before he shattered and vanished. "Mobile Unit, Soldier Pawn to the left! You know kid, that's the problem with people like you and Shin… Sometimes you have to give up one of your key pieces in order to secure the win!" Getting up and rushing in, Toshi slashed at Magician with the Burning Dagger, and Magician shattered and vanished.

"Magician's skill. I pay 1 gauge to draw a card!"

"It won't help! Suppression Queen, attack the fighter!" Queen rushed in, striking Toichi with her scepter.

"I can still hold on!" Toichi was determined to continue the fight, but Shin's hand on his shoulder told him something was up.

Toshi, however, wasn't done. "Now Final Phase! Cast impact! Checkmate! Soldier Pawn, go attack the fighter!" As Soldier Pawn attacked with his spear, the monsters vanished instantly.

"Game over. Winner: Toshi Izumi."

"Wh-what happened?" Toichi looked to Shin, confused. Shin shook his head.

"Impact card. Checkmate, to be precise. If his monster deals damage to you when he uses it, he wins. Just like that…"

"That's right, Toichi. I win. And now, Shin, you're out. But since we have an opening, Toichi, I'll let you in, since you show potential." Toshi snapped and a couple of bulky guys came to take Shin by the arms.

"Wait, Toshi! I challenge you to a Buddyfight! Winner takes all. I win, I get your crown! You win, my Buddy Rare card AND my Core Deck Case!"

Toshi looked down his nose at Shin, carefully considering the challenge. Of course, he couldn't very well deny a challenge and expect to keep his title. "Very well, Shin… I accept."


	3. Chapter Three: Revolution!

Chapter Three: Revolution!

Shin stepped up in front of the Street King. "It's time to show you where you've gone wrong, Toshi! Furious force from ages long past, destroy the meager peasant before you! Ancient Storm, Lumenize!" As he spoke, he pulled out his Core Deck Case, eyes firmly locked on Toshi's throne. A brilliant light shone from the case as it transformed once more into a floating spellbook.

"All of the pieces fall perfectly into place! Final Checkmate, Lumenize!" The Street King's core gadget didn't need to change, but his floating, luminescent cards reappeared. He snickered slightly at Shin. "So, your core gadget is a book? Fitting for you, seeing as how you're possibly the nerdiest of us all… Why don't you start us off, challenger?"

Toshi wasn't taking this seriously, and Shin could tell that just by looking. "Fine. But I'll finish it, too, so let's hope you get enough play time in! Charge and draw!" Tossing a card into his gauge, he drew another card, then looked over his hand with a furrowed brow.

"What's the matter, realized yet that you can't win?" Toshi's laughter echoed around the room, but was quickly cut off by Shin lifting a card.

"Cast! Divine Dragon Creation! I pay 2 life to draw 2 cards!" As his floating life indicator cracked and counted down to 8, the Street King raised an eyebrow.

"Do you think that you can beat me by sacrificing all of your lifelike you do against everyone else, Shin? I know how you fight, and I know how to beat you!" His fist clenched, but Shin was continuing to ignore him.

"Cast! Dragon Emperor Legend!" A new card appeared in his gauge, and Shin drew an additional card as his life indicator rose to 9. "Call, Destruction Dragon Emperor, Gatastor to the center! Then activate the effect of Rock Dragon Emperor, Vragos! I discard him to gain 2 life!" The indicator rose again, this time to 11, and Shin pointed to Toshi. "Gatastor, attack the fighter directly!"

Toshi was infuriated, shaking with rage as his life indicator fell to 7. "End of move. Your move."

"Not only do you ignore me, you dare to treat me like an ordinary, unimportant fighter? I'll show you! Draw! Then charge and draw! I cast Buddy Charge!" A new card appeared in his gauge area. "Control Unit, Suppression Queen to the center area! Attack Unit, Flying Bishop to the left! I pay 2 gauge to equip Burning Bow!" Taking hold of the weapon as it appeared in front of him, he pointed at Gatastor. "Suppression Queen, take out Gatastor!" As Queen rushed in at Gatastor, scepter raised, Toshi watched for Shin's reaction. Finding none, he scoffed. "Cast! Chessenergy! I pay 2 gauge! Queen gets 4000 power, giving her just enough to destroy Gatastor!"

"I activate the special ability of Ice Dragon Emperor, Glacies! Freeze Shot!" Suppression Queen was suddenly blocked by an icy shield as Shin's life indicator dropped to 10, and the Street King growled.

"Fine. I'll take out Gatastor next turn."

"End of move. Your move."

"I draw, then charge and draw!" As Shin stood there, acting for all the world as if he was fighting against no opponent at all, Toichi couldn't help but smile.

"You're so calm, Shin! How do you do it?" Toichi tugged on Shin's shirt slightly as he spoke, just to make sure he was noticed.

"Simple. By remembering that there's no opponent." Toichi looked confused, then looked between Toshi and Shin quickly as if trying to figure out what was going on.

"You insolent fool! You haven't won this yet!" The Street King was not pleased with Shin's implications, and stood, enraged.

"I activate the special ability of Storm Dragon Emperor, Thundertornado! By discarding him and paying a gauge, I destroy your bow!" The bow shattered from the fighter's hand, enraging the Street King even more. "Gatastor! Destroy Flying Bishop!" Gatastor leaned over, slashing down at Bishop with his giant claws and Bishop shattered and vanished.

"End of move. Your move."

"Hmph! Draw! Then charge and draw! I call Mobile Unit, Soldier Pawn to the left area! Pawn, Queen! Link attack Gatastor!" As Pawn and Queen leapt into action towards Gatastor, another icy barrier appeared to stop them.

"Glacies! I pay 1 life!" Shin folded his arms across his chest. "You can't get rid of my monsters so easily."

"End of move. Your move."

The Street King let out an enraged roar. "You will never win, do you hear me?! It's MY throne, you cannot have it!"

Shin smirked, pointing a finger at him. "You know what's sad, Toshi? Your actions show you've already admitted defeat. I draw, then charge and draw! Cast! Dragon Emperor Legend! Restoring my life to 10!" A new card appeared in his gauge, and he drew another card, studying his hand carefully. "Cast Buddy Help!" As three cards vanished from his gauge, he drew two more cards, and smiled. "Flame Dragon Emperor, Magmanova's special ability. By discarding him, I deal a damage to you!" Toshi's life counter shattered, replaced by a 6. "Next up… Space Dragon Emperor, Galiazond! Buddy Call to the Center!" Gatastor shattered and vanished, and was replaced by the new monster, and then 4 balls of light emerged from Shin's Core Gadget and merged with Galiazond. "As I take 1 damage from Lifelink, and gain 1 life from Buddy Gift, my life remains unchanged… Isn't that something? Cast! Rise and Fall of Dragons by paying 2 life!" Four new cards appeared to fill his now-empty gauge. "Now, Galiazond! Attack Soldier Pawn!" Galiazond's claws slashed down at Pawn, piercing through the monster, who shattered and vanished. "Now attack Suppression Queen!" Another effortless slash on Galiazond's part shattered Queen as well.

"Well, consider that your last turn of the game, Shin! Sometimes you have to sacrifice a few pieces to take the opponent's king!" Toshi's anger was boiling over now, and a glint in Shin's eye struck fear into the Street King's face.

"You didn't let me finish, Toshi… Cast! Final Phase! Impact: Evil Crusher, Steel Dragon Barrage!" A giant ball of fire appeared in Galiazond's mouth, and shot towards Toshi, knocking him to the ground and reducing his life counter to 2.

"End of move. Your move."

The Street King picked himself up, and wiped a bit of blood from his mouth. The force of the impact with the ground had caused it, it seemed, and Shin's face lit up with a smirk. "That's it, Shin. You're finished! Draw! Charge and Draw! I pay 2 gauge! Buddy Call! King the Dominator! I gain 1 life with Buddy Gift!" A ball of light emerged from Toshi's throne and merged with King, and then the Street King lifted another card. "Cast, Buddy Charge! I gain 2 gauge! King the Dominator, attack Galiazond!" King rushed in at Galiazond, striking him with his scepter and shattering him.

"Soulguard!" Galiazond reappeared and Toshi crossed his arms. "I guess you get one more turn…"

"End of move. Your move."

"Oh, that's so gracious of you, Your Majesty. I draw, then charge and draw! Galiazond! Attack King the Dominator!" Galiazond slashed down at King, who shattered, then reappeared.

"You didn't think you were the only one with Soulguard, did you?" Toshi grinned at Shin, but Shin just pointed his index finger at King. "Attack King the Dominator again! Double Attack!" As Galiazond slashed in again, King shattered again, vanishing completely.

"End of move. Your move."

"You fool! Don't you realize that the king is always the last piece of the game to be taken?! It takes more than Double Attack to take him down! Draw! Charge and draw! I call King the Dominator to the center again, paying 2 gauge!" Once again, a ball of light floated out of Toshi's throne and merged with King, and then the Street King pointed at Galiazond. "Attack Galiazond!" King slashed at Galiazond with his scepter again, and Galiazond shattered and reconstituted again. "Tch… Galiazond WILL go down."

"End of move. Your move."

"Not to you, Toshi! This is the end! I draw, then charge and draw! Paying 2 life, I cast Divine Dragon Creation!" Drawing two new cards, he studied the cards in his hand before lifting up another. "I discard Vragos to gain 2 life! Galiazond! Attack King the Dominator!" As Galiazond slashed down at the monster, and his claws dug in and shattered King, Shin grinned darkly. "Check."

The horrific implication of that one word struck Toshi like a dagger, and he visibly squirmed, even standing up. "S-soulguard!" As King the Dominator reappeared, Shin pointed at him again.

"Galiazond. Attack King the Dominator!" Galiazond slashed in with both claws this time, squeezing King the Dominator. "Check." With that, King the Dominator shattered and vanished for good.

"You dare to treat me in such a manner?!" Toshi was obviously infuriated, but the horrified look on hi face showed that he knew what was coming, what Shin had been waiting on.

"Final Phase! Cast impact! Evil Crusher, Steel Dragon… BARRAGE!" As the giant ball of fire formed in Galiazond's mouth, Shin turned away from the Street King, his smirk vanishing as he started to walk away. "Checkmate."

Toshi was struck by the fireball, falling to his hands and knees. "Game over. Winner: Shin Matsuki." Silence filled the arena before someone finally approached Shin even as he was walking away.

"What should we do with him?" as the beefy man who had approached Shin. Toichi watched Shin for a long moment, uncertainty in his eyes. Finally, Shin turned to the man who'd spoken and motioned towards Toshi.

"Him? Eh. He can stay… as a reminder of his defeat. Besides, he's still a great tactical mind, he'll be good to have around just in case. And I'll leave him in charge in my stead, I have a lot of things I have to do."

The other man nodded, walking away, and Toichi smiled and ran up to Shin. "You looked like you were about to be really mean for a moment there!"

Shin looked to Toichi with an expressionless face. "What are you talking about? For Toshi, that's the worst possible outcome already. Forced to live with the constant reminder that he's no longer in charge…"

With that, he walked out, and Toichi, left stunned, watched him leave. Gripping his new deck, Toichi trembled with something not unlike Toshi's earlier rage. "Th-that's it? This is the guy who stops bullies…? I don't believe it…"


	4. Chapter Four: The Mighty Sun Fighter!

Chapter Three: The Mighty Sun Fighter Appears!

Several days had passed since Shin had last seen Toichi back at the Underground arena, and his original purpose for going there still hadn't been fulfilled: he hadn't gotten money for Magic World cards yet. As he trudged through the streets, he looked up and realized he wasn't quite sure where he was. His eyes darted around as he tried to locate familiar landmarks. Instead, he found something else: a sign. "Buddyfight Tournament today; prizes go to the top 3 places. Interesting..." Walking inside, he was greeted by a robot carrying boxes.

"Hi there!" The voice came from behind Shin, and he spun around to see an energetic man, clearly the storekeeper, speaking to him. "You here for the Buddyfight tournament?"

"Uh, yeah…" Shin wasn't so sure he liked this idea anymore. This guy was a bit too happy. "What's the prize?"

"The top three places get store credit, useable on anything in the store!" The storekeeper's high energy attitude was wearing at his nerves, but Shin didn't flinch.

He considered his options for a moment, then nodded at the man, holding up his Core Deck Case. "Then let's do this."

"Alright, now that's what I like to hear!" Shin signed his name on the list and sat down to wait for his turn.

"This is Paruko Nanana, reporting to you LIVE from Castle, where a super-exciting Buddyfight Tournament is about to be under way. Up first are two relatively unknown fighters, Kazane Fujimiya and Kafu Tezuka!"

"A kaleidoscope of excitement and adventure! Lumenize! Kaleido Labyrinth!"

"A never ending fury scorches the earth! Inferno Fury, Lumenize!"

Paruko was easy enough to pick out, having introduced herself, not to mention the fact she was floating in a UFO piloted by her buddy monster, Takosuke. But the other two were mysteries to Shin. As he watched, his arms folded across his chest. "Now let's tell them what we want to see! Buddy… Fight!" Paruko exclaimed.

"Now let's raise the flag! Dungeon World!" The speaker was wearing green and had her buddy monster, Bladewing Phoenix, beside her. It made Shin temporarily guilty; he'd barely spoken to HIS buddy in the entire time he'd had him.

"Dragon World!" The other fighter was wearing dark clothes, and it was clear who HIS buddy was: Inferno Armor Dragon. Shin had no time to contemplate the outcome of the match however because he heard a voice nearby.

"Wow, Kazane's looking amazing out there! I hope I get a chance to fight her, too!" This guy had red and black hair with a blue jacket and a red shirt with a sun on it.

"Fo' real, yo. I wouldn't want to go up against _her_ first round, y'know what I'm sayin', bro?" The new voice belonged to someone who looked like he came from the streets himself, but had what seemed to be bananas sticking out from his blond hair. The first of the two turned to Shin.

"Are you participating in the tournament too?" He seemed rather excited at the prospect, and Shin huffed at him.

"Yes, but I'm not interested in hearing you talk. I'm trying to watch the match and scope out the competition, you loudmouth."

The boy looked upset, but tried again anyways. "I'm Gao. Gao Mikado. This is my friend, Tetsuya! We-"

Shin interrupted Gao as he tried to speak. "I'm Shin Matsuki. Remember that name, because it'll be the last one you hear at the end of the tournament. I'm not interested in being your friend… So why don't you let me listen to the fight in peace, huh?"

The fight stage was much more elaborate than anything he'd ever used, but that was to be expected in a case like this. Just when he thought he'd finally get to see what the competition was like, Gao interrupted his thoughts again. "Hey man, what's your deal? I was just trying to invite you to a friendly game of Buddyfight while we wait for our matches!"

Shin looked over at Gao, irritation evident in his voice. "Let me make this perfectly clear. I am not your friend. I am not friendly. And I never play a game of Buddyfight for anything less than the highest of stakes."

"Then why are you in the tournament, huh?!" Gao's anger had risen, it was clear to see.

"Because I need the money to build a Magic World deck…" Before Shin could finish talking, he could hear Paruko over the crowd and turned to look at the fight.

"Wow, that was one _powerful_ assault from Kazane! Looks like this one's over, folks!"

"Game over. Winner: Kazane Fujimiya."

"Great, you made me miss the match. Thanks, Gao." With that, Shin walked away, and Gao's frustrated yell could be heard across the store.

Shin didn't bother to keep up with the fights after that, the point had been rendered moot. Without knowing all of his potential troubles, it was pointless to know any of them. So when his first fight came around, he stepped out onto the field, eyes closed, and blocked out Paruko's voice.

"Wow, folks this match is going quickly! Look at that power! Space Dragon Emperor, Galiazond's Double Attack is no joke! Shin Matsuki has _decimated_ his opponent's monsters!" Paruko's announcement was unnecessary and obvious, but only to those who could actually see the fight.

"Now cast! Final Phase! Impact: Evil Crusher, Steel Dragon Barrage!"

"WOW! That's it, folks! In just three turns, Shin Matsuki has completely demolished his opponent!"

"Game over. Winner: Shin Matsuki."

Shin simply walked away from his opponent, sitting down to try and watch the next round. From what he could tell, Gao had already won his match, as had his friend, Tetsuya. Gao was up against Kazane. "Looks like he got his wish…"

"Raise the flag! I fight for Dungeon World!" Kazane again stood beside Bladewing Phoenix, and Shin pulled out his copy of Tempest Wing, staring at it

"I fight for Dragon World!" Gao exclaimed, standing beside Drum Bunker Dragon.

"That explains so much… He's just as hotheaded…"

The fight was over before Shin could fully wrap his head around what had just happened. Gao's attacks were so fast, so fluid… And then he just went into his Final Phase and…

"Wow! Did you see that folks? Gao has once again proven he's the one to beat in this tournament! That Gargantua Punisher is just so powerful! Is there any way to stop it?" Paruko's voice was starting to get annoying for Shin.

"Gargantua Punisher, huh? Oh, looks like I'm up next…" Taking his place on the stage, he faced off against Tetsuya, who stood beside the Demon Lord, Asmodai. Realizing, Shin still held Tempest Wing, he sighed. "Wish me luck, eh, buddy?" The card glowed and turned into a ball of light, and Tempest Wing appeared in his miniature form.

"You'll do fine, Shin… But I'd like to spend more time with you, you know… I didn't come here to sit around and do nothing all day long…"

"Yeah, I'm sorry…" He turned to Tetsuya, his face hardening. "For this fight, Galiazond will be my buddy! Furious force from ages long past, destroy the meager peasant before you! Ancient Storm! Lumenize!" Once more transforming his Core Deck Case into a floating book, he watched Tetsuya carefully.

"C'mon, move, Dancin' Demon, it's time to groove. Let's Lumenize it! Now let's raise the flag! Magic World!"

"Ancient World." Shin was calm, unenthusiastic about his flag, unlike Tetsuya. "I'll start us off. Charge and draw!" By tossing a card from his hand to the gauge, Shin drew another card. "Cast! Divine Dragon Creation! I pay 2 life to draw 2 cards! Cast! Dragon Emperor Legend!" Gaining another gauge, he drew a card as his life indicator rose from 8 to 9, and he held up another card. "Destruction Dragon Emperor, Gatastor to the center area! Magmanova's skill!" Tetsuya's life dropped to 9. "Forbolka's skill! I gain 2 gauge by discarding him! Gatastor! Attack the fighter!" Gatastor's claws slashed in at Tetsuya, reducing his life points to 6. "Now Final Phase! Cast impact! Evil Crusher, Steel Dragon Barrage!" Tetsuya's life points dropped to 2, and Tetsuya wiped his brow.

"That was harsh, yo. But it's okay, I'll come atcha with everything I've y'know what I'm sayin'?"

"I never said I was finished! CAST! Impact! Steel Dragon Barrage!"

"Game over. Winner: Shin Matsuki."

"WOW! What a turn! Shin Matsuki has just violently demolished Tetsuya Kurodake with a one turn wonder! Is this a sign of things to come?!" Paruko's voice seemed amazed, and Shin looked up at her, growling slightly.

"Shut up, you." He watched Tetsuya walking off the stage, waiting for Gao to come out.

"Well, it's all good, A-dawg, that guy really needs to learn to chillax."

Asmodai grinned at Tetsuya as they disappeared from sight. "Yeah, I know what you mean, bro. Why don't we leave that lesson to Gao, huh?"

"Gao, you wanted to fight me. Get out here!"

"Eclipsing the darkness with flames and brightening the hearts of the mistreated… The Mighty Sun Fighter is here!"

No sooner had those words been spoken than had Gao appeared on the platform across from Shin. Drum Bunker Dragon stood beside him, glowering at Shin. "The Mighty Sun Fighter, huh?"

"Not only do you treat everyone unkindly, but you don't even fight with your buddy monster?! All you care about is winning! That's not what Buddyfighting is about, and I'll prove it to you!"

"Oh yeah? How do you intend to do that?" Shin was mildly amused by this little turn of events, but he wouldn't let it stop him from beating him.

"You said you fight for stakes? Well if I win, you HAVE to play with your buddy monster!" Gao's angry look made him seem all the more funny to Shin.

"And what if I can't actually build a deck for my buddy monster to fit into? What if I just can't afford it?" Shin's eyebrow raised, asking because that was, in fact, the only reason he had yet to do so.

"Then you _don't _get to Buddyfight until you _do._" Gao's eyes hardened. It was clear that Shin's own hardships didn't matter to Gao anymore. It was a matter of pride, now, and Shin could just imagine Gao's inner thoughts struggling with the idea of taking Buddyfight away from someone just because they couldn't afford to build the deck they needed.

"Fine. Then if I win, you don't get to Buddyfight _with_ your Buddy. Ever again." Gao's eyes widened. He hadn't realized, it seemed, that he would have to sacrifice something too.

"F-fine!" Drum Bunker Dragon was taken aback by this, turning to look at Gao.

"You sure about this, Gao?" The dragon was clearly unsure they would win.

"Absolutely, Drum. A challenge is a challenge!"

"Then let's get this started!" Shin put his hand on the book floating beside him and began to draw his cards. "Furious force from ages long past, destroy the meager peasant before you! Ancient Storm, Lumenize!"

"Showering the sky with scorching sun rockets! Lumenize! Soleil Dragon Deck!"


End file.
